The Team
The Team at Animal Instincts Australia is made up of experienced and certified professionals (humans and 4 legged!)
All of our 2 legged team hold Yellow Disability Cards and Blue Cards, up to date First Aid & CPR Certifications and have completed the NDIS Workers Orientation Course. Animal Instincts Australia is fully insured.
AIA will soon be an NDIS Registered Provider
We pride ourselves on our passion for professional development and our team are regularly attending and undertaking further education in the fields of human and animal studies including accredited courses and workshops.
Animal Instincts Australia has been registered since 2005 and has operated from the Gold Coast, Lockyer Valley, Western Downs and now we call Toowoomba home and are very settled here!
We also have our sister businesses Outback Equines & Outback Canines (click for more info)
All of our 2 legged team hold Yellow Disability Cards and Blue Cards, up to date First Aid & CPR Certifications and have completed the NDIS Workers Orientation Course. Animal Instincts Australia is fully insured.
AIA will soon be an NDIS Registered Provider
We pride ourselves on our passion for professional development and our team are regularly attending and undertaking further education in the fields of human and animal studies including accredited courses and workshops.
Animal Instincts Australia has been registered since 2005 and has operated from the Gold Coast, Lockyer Valley, Western Downs and now we call Toowoomba home and are very settled here!
We also have our sister businesses Outback Equines & Outback Canines (click for more info)
Hayley Chambers
Director & Lead Facilitator
28 years experience in the pet, animal, equine, and people training/coaching industry.
For the past 18 years Hayley has successfully operated not only Animal Instincts Australia, but also Outback Equines & Outback Canines - Equine and Canine Training, Coaching, Education and Mentoring Lessons, Workshops, Clinics, Camps and Demonstrations.
Hayley has been working in the pet, animal and equine industries for the past 24 years and has extensive experience in a working, supervisory and management roles in a variety of workplaces such as...
Hayley has a passion for animal and human welfare, believing that everyone is capable of achieving their dreams with the right positive guidance and mentoring. She has mentored numerous students over the years in mindset control, energetic connections, relationship building, empowerment and confidence development, and skills training.
She regularly attends professional development courses and workshops, and is currently completing further studies to improve her own skills and abilities to better help her students succeed.
Hayley's Certifications, Qualifications & Memberships include....
Director & Lead Facilitator
28 years experience in the pet, animal, equine, and people training/coaching industry.
For the past 18 years Hayley has successfully operated not only Animal Instincts Australia, but also Outback Equines & Outback Canines - Equine and Canine Training, Coaching, Education and Mentoring Lessons, Workshops, Clinics, Camps and Demonstrations.
Hayley has been working in the pet, animal and equine industries for the past 24 years and has extensive experience in a working, supervisory and management roles in a variety of workplaces such as...
- Pet Shops - small animals & pocket pets, dogs/cats, aquariums, birds, farm animals
- Saddleries & Produce Stores
- Horse Riding & Equestrian Centres
- Equine Breeding Centres & Studs
- Pet and Animal Wholesale Industry
- Dog/Cat Boarding Facilities
- Veterinary Clinics - Vet Nursing Experience
- Pet, Animal and Equine Retail
- Puppy Pre-school & Canine Obedience Programs
- Board & Train Programs (Equine & Canine)
- Animal Assisted Activities - Disability and Mental Health
- Animal Rescue Shelter operations & enrichment programs, fostering for various rescue organisations, rehabilitation and recovery of rescue animals - dogs/horses/cats/farm animals.
Hayley has a passion for animal and human welfare, believing that everyone is capable of achieving their dreams with the right positive guidance and mentoring. She has mentored numerous students over the years in mindset control, energetic connections, relationship building, empowerment and confidence development, and skills training.
She regularly attends professional development courses and workshops, and is currently completing further studies to improve her own skills and abilities to better help her students succeed.
Hayley's Certifications, Qualifications & Memberships include....
- Diploma of Counseling
- Diploma App. Sci. Equine Studies
- Riding for the Disabled QLD Level One Coach (former)
- Equestrian Australia Introductory Level General Coach (current)
- Pony Club Association of QLD Preliminary Coach (current)
- Community Coaching General Principles Certified
- Certificate III Dog Behaviour & Training - National Dog Trainers Federation
- Certificate III Rural Operations - Horse Husbandry Professional (Equestrian Instructor)
- Qualified Level Two Horse Archery Coach (National Horse Archery Association)
- NLP Coach - Student Practitioner
- AUSLAN Course 1 & 2 (student ongoing)
- Domestic and Family Violence Response Training DV-alert (Completed Accreditation CHCDFV001 - Recognise and Respond)
- Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) MOOC - University of Tasmania
- Reiki Level One Attuned/Trained
- Locum Trainer & Approved Assessor - Therapy Dogs Australia
- Approved Subject Matter Expert/Practical Assessor for Animal Studies Nationally Recognised Courses - Central QLD University
- Approved Subject Matter Expert/Practical Assessor for Equine Studies courses - Australian Equine Institute
- Member PATH Itl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International)
- Member IICT - International Institute for Complementary Therapists
- Member Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL)
- Member CPCA - Certified Practicing Counsellors Australia
- Member - International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)
- Member Equestrian QLD/Equestrian Australia - Registered Coach
Leanne Brooks
Facilitator
Coast, Town, Country
I grew up by the ocean in a place called Cronulla, Sydney NSW. I was lucky enough to have the stability of going to one primary school and one highschool. During my schooling years I spent a lot of time away from home with friends with horses. This is where I was taught to ride and basic horsemanship. Little did I know all those skills developed all that time ago would be put to good
use at Animal Instincts Australia.
Our household had lots of pets ranging from dogs, cats, birds, fish and rabbits while I was growing up.
After leaving school I was a young mum who still went to night school studying Fashion Design and later Tafe in the same subject. I eventually fell into working in Newsagencies throughout the Goldcoast & Brisbane suburbs, while again studying business and I stayed in this industry for approximately 24 years. My greatest achievement in this industry was running an investment store with full responsibility of rosters, staffing, office admin, stock ordering, invoicing etc.
By a chance meeting and a diversion into a totally different career field I started work in the disability sector in December 2019. Over the course of the last 4 years I have completed over 34 modules of learning to gain more experience and knowledge in this area of employment. Through another chance meeting via work, I met Hayley at the RSPCA, we clicked, and our boys clicked, then through COVID my good friend asked me to help her at AIA whilst staff were off sick during the pandemic and well………. I never left!
I have spent the last 2 years balancing support work and being a coach at Animal Instincts Australia, but something had to give. So 2024 will see me as a permanent fixture at Animal Instincts Australia as a fulltime coach and mentor.
You will also get to meet my animal crew containing of Rossi the Boerboel, Leroy the German Shephard adopted from AIA and Slater the slinky cat also fostered from AIA.
Working with your family members at this unique farm site has been an incredible journey so far, with many more years to come.
Facilitator
Coast, Town, Country
I grew up by the ocean in a place called Cronulla, Sydney NSW. I was lucky enough to have the stability of going to one primary school and one highschool. During my schooling years I spent a lot of time away from home with friends with horses. This is where I was taught to ride and basic horsemanship. Little did I know all those skills developed all that time ago would be put to good
use at Animal Instincts Australia.
Our household had lots of pets ranging from dogs, cats, birds, fish and rabbits while I was growing up.
After leaving school I was a young mum who still went to night school studying Fashion Design and later Tafe in the same subject. I eventually fell into working in Newsagencies throughout the Goldcoast & Brisbane suburbs, while again studying business and I stayed in this industry for approximately 24 years. My greatest achievement in this industry was running an investment store with full responsibility of rosters, staffing, office admin, stock ordering, invoicing etc.
By a chance meeting and a diversion into a totally different career field I started work in the disability sector in December 2019. Over the course of the last 4 years I have completed over 34 modules of learning to gain more experience and knowledge in this area of employment. Through another chance meeting via work, I met Hayley at the RSPCA, we clicked, and our boys clicked, then through COVID my good friend asked me to help her at AIA whilst staff were off sick during the pandemic and well………. I never left!
I have spent the last 2 years balancing support work and being a coach at Animal Instincts Australia, but something had to give. So 2024 will see me as a permanent fixture at Animal Instincts Australia as a fulltime coach and mentor.
You will also get to meet my animal crew containing of Rossi the Boerboel, Leroy the German Shephard adopted from AIA and Slater the slinky cat also fostered from AIA.
Working with your family members at this unique farm site has been an incredible journey so far, with many more years to come.
Annie Jackson
Animal Attendant
Hello, I’m Annie, an animal assistant at Animal Instincts. I am currently in year 10, I enjoy working with horses, learning new things and exploring.
I am an ex-gymnast and am currently competing in endurance riding
(on horseback.)
I own 2 dogs, Ted and Toffee, Bam Bam the guinea pig, Franko, my horse who is currently staying at Animal Instincts, and two cats, Nala and Duchess, who were “foster fails” that I adopted from Animal instincts along with a few chickens.
I love being outside and being with animals, which is why being an animal attendant is the perfect after school job to help relieve any stress from the day. I am currently learning about equine massage and how to trim horse’s feet, which turns out to be very interesting and more complex than one would think.
As for the future, I hope to spend a gap year riding the bicentennial trail with a dear friend, which is 5,330 km down the coast of Australia.
I am still undecided about my career choice, I am likely to try something related to disability and mental health or equine/ animal physical therapy, however I am still undecided and could change my mind at any moment.
Animal Attendant
Hello, I’m Annie, an animal assistant at Animal Instincts. I am currently in year 10, I enjoy working with horses, learning new things and exploring.
I am an ex-gymnast and am currently competing in endurance riding
(on horseback.)
I own 2 dogs, Ted and Toffee, Bam Bam the guinea pig, Franko, my horse who is currently staying at Animal Instincts, and two cats, Nala and Duchess, who were “foster fails” that I adopted from Animal instincts along with a few chickens.
I love being outside and being with animals, which is why being an animal attendant is the perfect after school job to help relieve any stress from the day. I am currently learning about equine massage and how to trim horse’s feet, which turns out to be very interesting and more complex than one would think.
As for the future, I hope to spend a gap year riding the bicentennial trail with a dear friend, which is 5,330 km down the coast of Australia.
I am still undecided about my career choice, I am likely to try something related to disability and mental health or equine/ animal physical therapy, however I am still undecided and could change my mind at any moment.
We are a proud member of the following organisations....
